"If you will permit me to seat myself in your august company," continued the stranger, "I will gladly relate my history, so that you will be better able to comprehend my unusual - may I say remarkable? -appearance." "Knowing no better, I used my arms as well as my legs for walking, and crawled under the edges of stones or hid among the roots of grasses with no thought beyond finding a few insects smaller than myself to feed upon. "It is but honest that I should acknowledge at the beginning of my recital that I was born an ordinary Woggle-Bug," began the creature, in a frank and friendly tone. It must be admitted that the round, black eyes were rather bulging in appearance but the expression upon the Woggle-Bug's face was by no means unpleasant.įor dress the insect wore a dark-blue swallowtail coat with a yellow silk lining and a flower in the button-hole a vest of white duck that stretched tightly across the wide body knickerbockers of fawn-colored plush, fastened at the knees with gilt buckles and, perched upon its small head, was jauntily set a tall silk hat. Its arms were fully as slender as its legs, and upon a rather long neck was perched its head - not unlike the head of a man, except that its nose ended in a curling antenna, or "feeler," and its ears from the upper points bore antennae that decorated the sides of its head like two miniature, curling pig tails. The body of the Woggle-Bug was rather flat, and judging from what could be seen of it was of a glistening dark brown color upon the back, while the front was striped with alternate bands of light brown and white, blending together at the edges. What he saw was a great, round, buglike body supported upon two slender legs which ended in delicate feet - the toes curling upward. Tip had not yet taken his eyes off this wonderful personage. Permit me to present my card." With this courteous speech it extended a card toward the Scarecrow, who accepted it, turned it over and over, and handed it with a shake of his head to Tip. I hope you are, as an aggregation, enjoying excellent health. The stranger removed his hat with a flourish, bowed very low, and then responded: "Good morning, one and all. "Dear me" ejaculated the Pumpkinhead, staring somewhat intently. "Are you really a Woggle-Bug?" enquired the Scarecrow. Would it be improper for me to ask, also, what the 'T.E.' at the end of your name stands for?" "My brains are slightly mixed since I was last laundered. Tip's eyes were round and wondering, and the Saw-Horse uttered a sigh and turned away its head. Does it not occur to you that I am several thousand times greater than any Woggle-Bug you ever saw before? Therefore it is plainly evident that I am Highly Magnified, and there is no good reason why you should doubt the fact." "Sir," said the Woggle-Bug, "I take you for a gentleman of judgment and discernment. "It affords me great pleasure to surprise people for surely I cannot be classed with ordinary insects and am entitled to both curiosity and admiration from those I meet." "Do not apologize, I beg of you" returned the Woggle-Bug, earnestly.
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